Can You Afford Another Year Like This Year?

We’re already into the last two months of the year, and individuals will soon be evaluating what they have and have not accomplished, and what they hope to accomplish next year? There’s still time to get everything done that you promised yourself at the start of the year. Ninety percent of things tend to be accomplished in the last 10 percent of the time remaining.

The big problem why most people don’t get much done is because they don’t have definite goals or a specific plan to achieve those goals. By not having a definite aim in life, a person or business ends up becoming part of the goals and plans of others. If those plans and aspirations are good, then that person becomes the beneficiaries of that goodness; however, if the plan is self-serving and aimed to benefit a small, inner circle of people, then an individual becomes collateral damage or a victim of those plans.

We’re seeing a lot of the collateral damage from the poor planning and follow-through with the retirement program. Government employees are the victims of basing their hopes on the goals and plans of other people they trusted to take care of them, rather than taking charge and working on a plan that they have more control over.

As a business owner, there is no reason why you shouldn’t have a specific plan to take charge of your situation to create a better year next year than what you experienced this year. Yet, few businesses actually plan. In a survey I conducted in June 2009, I asked 21 business owners to list their three greatest internal business frustrations or obstacles that if they were able to resolve, would allow them to grow and prosper. Many frustrations were listed, but only one responded with “lack of a plan to follow.”

I then asked all of the respondents: “Do you have a written plan or strategy that you and your staff are successfully following to resolve any or all of the frustrations you mentioned, within the next 6 to 12 months?”

Only two said “yes” and 19 responded that they did not have a written plan. In other words, nine out of ten businesses did not have a plan to help them overcome their biggest frustrations or obstacles. Most of them have probably thought about how to improve their situation, but without writing it down and consistently communicating it to staff, there is a slim chance that it will be accomplished. The typical demands on time and the turbulence occurring in the external environment are causing many to be at the mercy of the economic winds of change.

Your plan does not have to be complex, and in fact, it should follow the KISS formula to Keep It Short & Simple so that it is easily understood by everyone and readily implemented. One of the problems with planning is that it is too complex or elaborate to easily follow. Most large companies have a planning process, but one estimate is that only about 10 percent of them are followed through to completion. In academics, the estimate is higher at about 30 percent. That means a vast majority of plans lay lifeless on someone’s shelf.

A plan allows you to look forward while others tend to focus backward. When your business has a plan, you are better able to deal with disruptive situations and can focus the energies of your people in a more productive manner. If things don’t go as planned (which is often the case) you will have a basis to evaluate why there was a deviation, and then regroup to get quickly back on course. This is because you know your final destination, and can then take the necessary actions to get your business back on track. Without a plan, there is nothing to use as a basis for evaluation, and therefore less of a chance that you will recover from a setback.

If you would like to learn a simple method to create a strategic plan for your organization, I am thinking about offering a short training session, but it will be based on if enough people plan to attend. If you would like to join the ranks of those individuals who are in control of their business, regardless of what is happening with the economy or the dubious plans of others, then email me.

The question that is the title of this article is a good one to end with. Can you afford another year like this year? If the answer is no, then you definitely need to create a plan that will propel you toward your goals and the vision you have for your organization. Even if you are an employee, this question is a good one to ask yourself. If life isn’t turning out like you hoped it would, then it’s time you made a plan to get better results in your various dimensions, such your physical, emotional, intellectual, financial, or spiritual self.

Make next year your best year, and start early by making a plan that will take you there. Remember to email me at RikVillegas@gmail.com if you’re interested in attending a planning session to help you get focused.